Matt Fitzpatrick Makes Rare Driver Change At The Travelers Championship
The Englishman has switched from a Titleist GT3 to a Ping G430 LST at this week's $20m Signature Event
Matt Fitzpatrick hit 13 of 14 fairways in The Travelers Championship opening round after putting a new driver in the bag.
The World No.4 has played a Titleist driver for a number of years but moved into a completely new brand this week, with a Ping model going in for the $20m Signature Event, and it worked very well in the opening round.
As an equipment free agent, Fitzpatrick is able to pick and choose whichever clubs he wants, and his Titleist GT3 has come out in favor of a Ping G430 LST.
Fitzpatrick admitted he "struggled off the tee" last weekend in the US Open at Shinnecock Hills, where he shot 74-73 over the final two rounds to finish 22nd.
He ranked 70th out of 72 players in Strokes Gained: Off the tee on the fourth day.
"Just struggled off the tee. You got to give yourself a chance at making some scores. Not only a chance of making birdies, but just trying to make comfortable pars. I think for me that's been, that was the big thing at the weekend that I struggled with," he said.
"I just, I didn't hit my driver very well and I feel like that that was kind of what held me back most of all."
"I have a different driver this week. That's obviously new. Just getting comfortable with that and I had, you know, felt like I practiced well these first three days as well and just managed to find something that I felt was working a bit better."
Fitzpatrick ranked 12th in Strokes Gained: Off the tee in round one of The Travelers, where he gained over a stroke and carded a six-under-par 64.
'I've lived in the heel my whole career'
"Well, I was explaining it earlier this week that it's not as straightforward as everyone thinks," Fitzpatrick said.
"When you fit a golf club, everyone has tendencies, and not to bore everyone, but my tendency is like I like clubs or a driver with the CG closer to the heel.
"That's kind of where my, where I've lived for basically my whole career. And certain golf clubs are, like, made without that.
"Just the box one, the one you buy off the rack might have it on the toe side, which if you gave that to me I would hit it 500 yards right or whatever it is.
"So the detail is really important and it's important to try and get that right as best as you can.
"Everyone is different, their habits, how they move the club, how they reacts to different clubs.
"I tried one in Canada where it was literally exactly that, like neutral, neutral, neutral and I hit it 50 yards right, and that's just the way I react.
"So I think people think that guys just get driver and it's just going to go straight and away you go and there's obviously a lot more to it than that."
New Srixon ZXi RKT drivers
Fitzpatrick is not the only player with a new driver in the bag at TPC River Highlands, as Srixon released its new drivers on tour this week. The ZXi RKT was revealed prior to The Travelers, with three different heads available - the standard, LS and Max.
The ZXi RKT has made its way on to the USGA's Conforming List and, along with those three models, there's also an LS+ and various versions of the ZXi RKT head.
Hideki Matsuyama and Ryan Fox were pictured using one of the new models in the opening round, while Shane Lowry was also testing it this week - although we haven't yet confirmed if it went in for the tournament.
